Exodus 5: Primary and Secondary Call

​Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’ ” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” 4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.” 
 
10 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’ ” 12 So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” 14 And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?” 
 
15 Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? 16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” 17 But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” 19 The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” 20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21 and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” 
 
22 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” 
 
Meditation
God’s people are first and foremost called by God, to God, and for God in and through covenant relationship. From our primary call, we are secondarily called to something specific, so each person can “live the life to which God has assigned them, and to which God has called them.” (1 Corinthians 7:17) The God who calls to a specific task first calls you to Himself so you can fruitfully endure the specific call He has for you. 
 
The personal process of the Lord calling Moses (five unique exchanges in chapters 3-4) molded Moses for mission by deepening his dependency on God. Today’s reading begins with Moses and Aaron confidently calling Pharaoh to let God’s people go (1) and concludes with Moses cowardly asking God why He sent him in the first place (22).
 
God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (as He promised to do- 3:21) and friction followed. The king of Egypt did not know the Lord (2) or respect His plan (5). Pharaoh increased the work of Israel (9) and amplified their burdens by forcing them to make bricks without straw.  
 
The cry of God’s people became more intense as their burden was increased. The people turned on Moses and Aaron rather than following them as their leaders. Moses’ discouragement was tangible, questioning his calling and God’s faithfulness to keep His promises (22-23).
 
Dependency on God in our primary call strengthens God’s people for faithful service in our secondary call. Grace awakens us to know  “The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24) And we can trust Him.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from Moses’ first step of faith and the friction that follows?
 
-How does the primary call anchor and strengthen Moses for his secondary, specific call to be a redeemer of God’s people?
 
-Where do you need to deepen dependency on the Lord to fruitfully endure what the Lord has specifically called you to? What (specifically) does this look like for you?
 
Key Verse
22 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me?